CRCJ 3001 Lecture Notes - General Strain Theory, Consumerism, Randall Collins

• School: Carleton University
• Department: Criminology and Criminal Justice
• Course: CRCJ 3001

Document Summary

Short answer: general, what is robert agnew"s issue with strain theory. Supposed to apply to all types of crime. A grand causal theory of why crime happens. For the most part, concerns economic strain: political economy capitalist economy, focus on the structure, crime is a product of the strain which the structures produce. Crime as not only a normal aspect of society but a necessary part to. Recognized social strata"s state of anomie (normlessness: the upper classes struggled the most with situations of anomie as they have the most room for aspirations, the lower class, through poverty are protected from anomie. Durkheim lays framework for understanding opportunity structures create disorganization, particularly from the failure of meeting aspirations. Strain theories most frequently reflect the notion that crime is an outgrowth of weaknesses in the social structure. These theories maintain the norms are violated to alleviate the strain that accompanies failure: blockage of legitimate goal attainment is said to encourage deviant solutions.